Tribit XSound Mega Review
A sturdy outdoor speaker with bags of bass
Verdict
The Tribit X Sound Mega is an outdoor Bluetooth speaker with a lot going for it. With a sturdy build, robust sound quality and a quirky design it stands apart from a lot of the competition, but lacks any certification for dust resistance or drop protection. If you are looking for a speaker that will turn heads while blasting beats, the Tribit is a solid option.
Pros
- Good sound
- Solid build quality
- Fun design
Cons
- No official dust-resistance
- Limited codec support
- No drop-protection
Availability
- UKRRP: £99.99
- USATBC
- EuropeTBC
- CanadaTBC
- AustraliaTBC
Key Features
- IPX7 waterproofingCan survive 1m under water for 30 minutes
- Stereo pairingConnect two XSounds for stereo sound
- 30W outputCan output 30W of audio
Introduction
In 2022, the market for Bluetooth speakers is only continuing to grow. At all price segments there are options aplenty, but this relative glut means that it’s more difficult than ever to stand apart from the crowd.
Enter the XSound Mega, the latest option from manufacturer Tribit, which has made a name for itself in budget audio products that don’t skimp on features. Sporting a robust design, a bright rainbow LED ribbon, waterproofing, a generous 8,000mAh battery, 30W output and more, it certainly has what it takes to catch the eye.
But, as ever, the proof is in the pudding – any product is only as good as its execution, so does the XSound Mega do enough to warrant a place in your summer party setup? Read on for our full review.
Design
- Metal and soft-touch plastic construction
- Built-in rainbow LED
- Offers some waterproofing
The outdoor Bluetooth speaker is a product category that’s yet to find a unified “shape”. What this means is that there’s a variety of shapes and sizes filling the market, each trying its hardest to meet the needs of any specific imagined situation.
Look at the XSound Mega, then it’s clear that Tribit is imagining this as a speaker to be used by the pool, or at the beach – really anywhere that water might be present. Regardless of what sand or saltwater could do to any electronic device, the unit sports an IPX7 rating, which theoretically means it can be submerged in water for up to half an hour without issue. No specific level of dust protection is mentioned.
I wasn’t in a position to test this out, nor do I imagine a situation in which the speaker might be sat in a shallow river for that long; but the extra protection is helpful nonetheless. It might have been nice to see some officially rated drop-resistance – but regardless, the speaker feels solid and well-constructed.
At 920g, the XSound Mega certainly isn’t the lightest speaker around, but the weight feels earned, especially given the 8,000mAh battery on the inside. You’ll find two loops on the sides to fit the included carrying strap, which feels well made in itself.
Of course, nothing is quite as important as the rainbow LED found around the lip of the speaker. Whether or not it’s a tasteful inclusion is immaterial, since it allows the XSound Mega to immediately stand out from the competition. The light can change in time with the music, or generally flow, and is easy to turn off. The ability to customise its looks is appreciated.
Whether or not the Tribit feels worth the £100/$100 price of entry, it’s an undeniably attractive speaker in its own right, offering generally robust build quality.
Features
- SBC codec only
- NFC pairing
- 3 EQ settings
There can be no doubt about it, the Tribit XSound Mega is a feature-packed speaker. Beyond its waterproofing and fancy LED strip, it has the ability to charge other devices, pair up with other Tribit products for a stereo experience, three EQ options and NFC pairing.
With regards to the first point, this is a consequence of the large 8,000mAh battery pack included. In theory, it allows the device to function for up to a 20 hours in general use before requiring a recharge. In tests, I saw the XSound Mega achieve around 75% of this number, which is a solid performance nonetheless. When charging other devices using the included cable, output is at 5W. So, if you’re in a tight spot then it won’t achieve any quick-charging miracles; but its inclusion is certainly useful.
NFC pairing is available only with Android devices, and in most cases I found that simply using the standard Bluetooth pairing was both quicker and simpler. Similarly, though, the option to pair to other Tribit products for a stereo experience is a welcome one, but I found the set-up process to be sufficiently finicky that a clear connection was impossible to establish.
On the device’s top row of buttons you’ll find an “EQ” option, which allows the user to quickly switch between three separate options on the fly. The first, Music, theoretically chooses a balanced profile to best suit a wide variety of genres. Following on from this, Audiobook places an emphasis on trebles, while XBass does what it can to shake your bones with a boost to bass. The distinction between the three is quite significant, but I found that the standard Music profile was sufficient for most situations.
Sound Quality
- Mostly balanced performance
- Lots of volume
Regardless of features, add-ons or otherwise, no speaker system is worth its salt unless it delivers on the sound quality front.
It’s a pleasure to report then that the Tribit XSound Mega mostly delivers on this vital front. As might be expected, there’s a clear focus on volume, and on bass. The standard sound profile is mostly balanced, with a slight preference for bass, but without losing detail in the trebles. As might be expected, the XBass EQ preset favours bass at the expense of everything else. As such, it’s best applied to house, dance or equivalent genres.
Bass outside of that preset is warm and expansive, while the trebles are pleasantly detailed with a degree of sparkle to liven things up. Although this is a speaker designed for parties, it’s suitable for classical tracks, too, providing more room and depth than might be expected for a speaker of its size.
Unfortunately the positive impressions end when it comes to the issue of codec support. While rivals offer the likes of AAC, aptX or otherwise, the XSound Mega offers only SBC, which limits its versatility somewhat.
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Should you buy it?
If you’re looking for a loud outdoor party speaker The Tribit XSound Mega offers a lot of bass and volume, plus decent durability and a handy carrying strap.
If you aren’t looking for an outdoor-specific speaker Although it can work well in most environments, the XSound Mega is outdoor-centric and there are other indoor options with strengths specific to that use case.
Final Thoughts
The Tribit XSound Mega is a budget Bluetooth speaker with plenty going for it. Sporting fun looks, decent durability and sound-proofing, it’s suitable for many use-cases outdoors, and it offers good sound quality and range to boot.
But for drop-protection, officially rated dust-resistance and a wider range of Bluetooth codec support, it might have been an instant recommendation. As such, the XSound Mega is a good option for the price point with some definite strengths to its name, but there are more specialised and accomplished speakers from the competition that will pip it to the post in most cases.
How we test
We test every wireless speaker we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Tested for three weeks
Tested with real world use
Tested with music streaming services
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FAQs
You can connect two devices via the USB ports and charge them simultaneously.
Full specs
Jargon buster
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a method of wireless transmission that allows for the exchange of data between devices over short distances.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
